If I may Ms Lodge
by Xenon Silver Sword
Summary: Recalling a past Christmas in New York ... Veronica remembers when she was bound to go the mall and back; to buy her mother a Christmas gift all on her own that didn't go quite as planned. (Why isn't Smithers an option in the character listing yet?)


**The Yearly 365 Challenge**

 **Prompt #206 (First Line) In my bag, I had a map, lip gloss, and $74.**

In my bag, I had a map, lip gloss, and $74. I was proud of myself that I was still set on my mission that I set before myself. That I didn't turn around and go back home; for more money. For clothes. No I knew that this mission I had compelte with what I had in my bag. I would worry about the rest later.

"Ms. Lodge; I can bring a bag to you." Smither's sighed through tightly thinned lips.

"Smithers you _know_ that will just defeat my purpose." You shook her head as you looked up into your butler's eyes. Your back stiffened. "Relax I know what I'm doing." You toss your hair from the side of your face. "I'll be back by dinner."

"I can drive you." He offered.

"No Smithers." You sigh through your nose. You turn and start down the street. You pause as you realize that you didn't know _how_ you were going to get to where you needed to go. You felt your bag at yourside. Oh yes you have a map; and you have money. But that money wasn't to pay for you to get to where you need to go. You needed all that money on what you were going to get once you got to where you needed to go. You pulled the map out of the bag and opened it.

The wind blew it out of your hands.

"Hey!" You shouted in anger. "No fair. Come back here right now map!" You shook your finger at the flying map that the wind quickly blew way out of your reach.

"Ms. Lodge if I may?" Smither's kind voice spoke from behind you.

Turning you look up into Smither's kind eyes. "All right Smither's if you wouldn't mind driving me. Then I could use a left." You sighed as you felt your body deflect from your first ever solo mission away from your family home just went away by a guast of the New York's wind.

He held out his hand in front of him. You nodded kindly as you moved pass him. You waited for him to walk with you. You refuse to walk ahead of him ... not like how your father did ... you were just like your mother ... Smithers may be your employee ... but he's your friend ... he's your family ... he's your equal. You reached out and slipped your hand in his warm kind big hand. You felt warmth as his warmth warmed your all ready gloved hand. You moved closer into his side.

You wait for him to open the passenger seat of the car; and you slipped in. You were just finishing buckling your seat belt when he opened his side. Your feet crossed in front of you as you waited for him to buckle up; and start the car. "You know what I would like to get Mami for Christmas right?" You turn your face to look at him with a smile.

He looked over at you and smiled. "Of course Ms. Lodge. Your mother will love it." He turned back so that he could drive the car.

You felt warmth fill you at his words. Your turn your head to look out at the snow falling on the New York streets. You felt the heater against you, and you were glad that the wind stole your map after all. After all Smithers always knew how to keep you warm when it was very cold outside. "Can we listen to Christmas music?" You look at his reflection in the window.

"Of course." Soon a soft melody was playing throuhout the car.

...

"What got you smiling about?" Veronica was brought out of her memory at the sound of Betty's soft gentle voice to the left of her. She looked over next to her at the blonde sitting next to her on her bed. She smiled.

"I was remembering when I was bound and determain that I would go to the mall; and buy Mami her Christmas present all on my own. I was eight years old ... and I thought that I was old enough to walk to the mall and back. After all I only had $74 dollars in my bag ... and that money was for her gift." She grinned. "But the wind and New York had other plans for me. Seriously B; only the wind could take the map that I had out to show me the way to the mall out of my hands; and not have me seriously horribly angry at it." She smirked. "Good thing Smither's was outside with me ... he was just waiting until I got it into my mind that I _needed_ him to drive me." She shrugged. "What can I say I was a stubborn child."

"Was?" Betty quipped.

Veroncia swatted her shoulder. "I wasn't that bad. Sides I have heard stories about _you_ as a little child." She stuck her tongue out.

"Do you think our child will be just as stubborn as we are?" Betty gently rested her hand against Veronica's stomach where their child was growing. A soft smile on her lips.

"Oh yeah." Veronica nodded. "But don't worry B. You know your ideas; and I know my ideas. This child here has no idea what he or she is getting into when he or she decides to grace us with his or her presence." Her hand gently covered her wife's as it slowly ran circles around her growning womb. She felt their child moving to keep pace with their hands.


End file.
